Have you ever been spooked by an advertisement that was eerily specific? How did Facebook or Google actually know what advertisement to show you?
Believe it or not, you signed up for it.
It’s no secret that Google and Facebook collect your data. Some of it is justified, such as device and operating system information to display content correctly. But, how much data is too far? This article explores the hidden tracking behind an overwhelming majority of websites you visit.
The reach Google has on the internet surpasses any other tech company. Ranging from Maps, Photos, YouTube, Android, and AdSense Google has the ability to collect more user-specific data than any other company. Google collects ~4 gigabytes of data per user. That would total millions of Word documents. Here is a breakdown of what Google collects and tracks:
Search history, whether you deleted it or not
Every YouTube video you watch
Your location every time you open your phone
Every e-mail sent, received, or deleted
Webcam and microphone access
Gender, age, hobbies, career, interests, relationship status, weight, purchases, steps you walk in a day, and many more data points to create an advertisement profile.
Have you ever seen the Facebook like button or share button on a webpage? Facebook is tracking every click on that web page even if you aren’t signed in to Facebook. Metadata is sent with each click such as browser information, the site you are on, and much more.
Facebook Pixel is a hidden JavaScript code that tracks events on a companies website. It is used for advertising information to track user engagement on websites. This information can include purchases you make, registration information, payment information, which content you viewed, the possibilities are endless because these events can be customized.
This is not an advocation to boycott Google or Facebook. These services provide beneficial information for companies. At what point do people realize they are being exploited as a main source of revenue for these companies? Online data privacy is a 21st-century problem that requires a 21st-century solution. We must push back to protect our data and realize the compensation that can become of our data.
